Lighter



M. L. NOVACK I Sept. 19, 1933.

LIGHTER Filed Dec; 12, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 6 v 2 1 .lllu m mfli mu n H A mn l m t 2 a B WIA I 8 u 6 H 7 7 n 2 u. 5. "6/ I I 3 w 0 9 1| 1 3 .2 M. I

'3 r rlw INVENTOR MAURICE L. Nov/1 c ATTORNEY P 1933' M. 1.. NOVACK 1,927,572

LIGHTER Filed Dec. 12, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 operate.

Patented Sept. 19, 1933 UNITED STATES LIGHTER Maurice L. Novack, Minneapolis, Minn.

Application December 12, 1932 Serial No. 646,818

3 Claims.

This invention relates to lighters for cigarettes, cigars, etc., and the main object is to provide a novel, efficient, and practical construction of lighter, which will be safe, reliable, and easy to More specifically the object is to provide a telescopic housing structure in which inner and outer casings are relatively movable and in which an inward movement of the inner casing operates to simultaneously open a cover of the outer casing and. ignite the lighter. more detailed objects will be disclosed in the course of the following specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a substantially full size perspective elevation of the lighter when in a closed position.

Fig. 2 is a perspective elevation similar to Fig. 1, but showing the lighter in its open position.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional elevation through the lighter, as seen on the slightly irregular line 33 in Fig. 4.

Fig. 4 is a sectional plan view as seen on the irregular line 4-4 in Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a cross sectional elevation as seen on the irregular line 55 in Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a sectional elevation similar to Fig. 3, but showing the lighter in its open position.

Figs. '7 and 8 are detail sections similar to Figs.

3 and 6 respectively, but showing a modified form The preferred form of the invention, as illustrated in Figs. 1 to 6, inclusive, will first be described as follows:

The lighter unit proper includes outer and inner box like casings A and B respectively, the first of which slidably encloses the other, and is open at one end to expose the inner casing, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The inner casing B has freedom for limited sliding movement between the two positions indicated in Figs. 1 and 2, respectively, and is normally disposed in the outward position, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, and is yieldably moved to and held in this position by a spring 13, one end of which is anchored to "the casing A as at 14,whi1e the other end acts against Other and the inner end of the casing B to hold it so that its outer end will be flush with the open end of the casing A. The outer casing has its side walls notched as at 15 so that the inner casing may be engaged by the operators finger and moved into flush position, as such a construction, while workable, is more apt to result in the inadvertent opening and igniting of the lighter when it is carried in the pocket. p v

In addition to the end opening, the outer casing has a second opening in one of its longltudinal edge portions, and this opening is normally closed by a lid or cover 16 that is hingedly secured as by a screw or bolt 17, which screw also serves the purpose of releasably securing the various movable parts of the lighter in a single compact unit. The cover 16 is intended to fit snugly in place when closed, and to that end it is preferably provided with some means such as lugs 18 or a lip 19 for releasable engagement with the outer casing when the coveris closed.

The inner casing B is cooperatively associated with the cover 16 in such a manner that when the casing is pressed in it will raise the cover to the position shown in Figs. 2 and 6, and when the casing is thereafter released the spring 13 will operate to restore it to its normal position and therebyalso restore the cover 16 to its closed position. To effect this cooperation of parts I provide the casing B with a pair of upper side walls or flanges 20 which are formed with an irregular contour in order to cooperate with a pair of integral depending tooth-shaped lugs 21 of the cover 16. These lugs are trunnioned on the screw 17 so as to form bearing support for the cover, and are provided with tapered end portions adapted to engage in slots 22, as shown inFig. 3, and upon shoulder-like ledges 23 of the flanges 20, as shown in Fig. 6. j

The parts just described are so formed that when the cover 16 is closed a tooth-like section 24 of the flange 20 will engage the lug 21 to thereby stop further outward movement of the easing B, and this contact also tends to releasably secure the cover 16 in its closed position. When the casing B is pressed inwardly, howeventhe shoulder 23 of the flange 20 acts upon thelug 21 to, raise the cover 16, and this position of the cover is maintained by virtue of the contact between the lug and the shoulder as long as the casing B is held inwardly. As soon as the casing B is released, however, the spring 13 moves it to its outward or normal position, and this movement causes the teeth 24 to engage the tapered ends of the lugs 21 to thereby effect the reclosing action or movement to the cover 16.

It may here also be noted that as the bolt or screw 1'1 constitutes the sole means of uniting the movable parts thus far described in one unit, the removal of this screw will permit the entire removal of the inner casing, which may be required from time to time as new flints or various adjustments may be needed.

The casing B has a relatively large chamber 25 which contains the fluid that is employed for the fuel of the lighter, and to that end of the chamber 25 is provided with a removable plug or cap 26 to permit filling of the chamber, and

the fluid fuel is conveyed from the chamber through a wick 27 extending upwardly through a tube 28 to a position intermediate .the flanges 20. The chamber 25 may also be provided with cotton batton or some other filler; as is customarily done in lighters of this general character, but such feature forms no part of the present invention. g

The exposed end of the wick 27 is arranged in a position to be ignited by an abradant wheel 29 acting upon a flint or other pyrophoric element 30 in a more or less conventional manner. To extinguish the wick I provide the cover 16 with an integral snuffer member 31 which is so arranged that when the cover 16 is closed the snuffer will contact with the exposed end of the wick 27 to extinguish the flame.

The element 30 is slidably positioned ina tube 32 rigidly secured in 'an angular positionto the rear or inner end of the casing B. This tube 32 has a slot 33 through which'extends a stud screw 34, anchored in a small piston member 35 contained in-the tube, and acting upon the lower end of the member 30.. A spring 36 is contained in the lower end of the tube 32, and acts upon the piston 35 to press the member. 30 up into frictional contact with the wheel 29. They parts are so arranged that when the flint 30 is sufficiently worn away it may be replaced, either by removing the wheel 29 so that the flint may be inserted downwardly in the tube 32, or by engaging the stud 34 and pushing the piston 35 downwardly to a suflicient extent to permit the worn flint piece to be removed through the slot 33, and 'to'permit a new piece of flint to be inserted in the same manner. Thislatter method is particularly advantageous in that it renders it unnecessary when:replacing a flint to remove any screws or other small parts that might then become lost.

upon a cross pin 37 journaled in the flanges 20,

and has an integral or solid hub portion terminating in a ratchet wheel 38.. This ratchet wheel is arranged in such a manner as to be actuated by a rack bar 39, one end of which is anchored to the pin 17 or in some other suitable manner, while the opposite end has a depending extension 40 movable in a lug 41 extending in from one of the side walls of the outer casing. 7

Below. the lug 41 the extension 40 has a collar 42 between which and the lug 41 is a compression spring 43 tending to at all times hold the extension 40 downwardly so that the rack bar 39 will releasably engage the ratchet wheel 38.

It will now'be seen that when the operator grasps the device in one hand and with the thumb or forefinger pushes the casing B inwardly, as indicated in Figs. 2 and 8,, that this action will not only operate through the members 23 and 21 to open the cover 16, but will also cause the ratchet wheel 38 to engage the rack 39 to thus rotate the abradant wheel 29 which in turn, by frictionally contacting with the pyrophoric element 30, will throw sparks into the exposed end of the wick 27 to ignite the lighter.

When the operator is then through with using the lighter he merely releases the finger engaging the casing B in the notches 15, whereupon the spring 15 will act to restore all the parts to their initial positions, it being understood that as the ratchet wheel moves back it will not again rotate the member 29 but will ride under the teeth of the rack 39 by lifting the latter, which lifting action is permitted by the spring 43.

Figs. '7, 8, and 9 illustrate a modified form of the invention insofar as it relates to the means for raising and lowering the lid or cover 16a. In this instance the cover has lugs 21a pivoted on a pin 17a fixed in the outer casing A1, and these lugs are disposed immediately within flanges 20a of the inner casing B1. The lugs 21a are provided with short integral extensions 44, which project outwardly into angularly shaped slots 45 in the flanges 20a. These slots are so arranged and shaped that when the casing 131 is in its outer or normal position, as shown in Fig. 7, the extensions 44 will rest in the lower ends of the slots 45 and thus hold the cover 16a closed. when the casing B1 is pressed inwardly, however, the slots 45 will act upon the extensions 44 to move them upwardly into the horizontal portions of the slots, as shown in Fig. 8, tothereby raise the cover 16a and hold it in place until the casing B1 has been released, whereupon the cover 161! returns to thepositlon' shown in Fig. '1.

In the figures just referred to a mechanism for operating the abradant wheel 29 has been omitted 'in order to clarify the views as to the cover structure, and also because it is to be understood that either of the forms of the abradant wheel actuator otherwise illustrated in the drawings may be employed.

plane with respect to the lighter structure, is

pivoted at both ends to bearing lugs 47 extending inwardly from the outer casing A2, and has a rack portion at its opposite side for engagement with the ratchet wheel 38a.

A spring 48 is arranged to yieldingly press th rack bar portion of the frame down upon the ratchet wheel 38a with a result that when the inner casing B2 ispressed inwardly the rack bar 46 will actuate the ratchet wheel 38a and the abradant wheel 29a in substantially the same manner as occurs in the construction shown in Figs. 3 to 6, inclusive.

The last described structure, however, has some advantage over the flrst' described rack bar, in that upon the return movement of the inner casing the frame 46 will raise uniformly throughout its length as the ratchet wheel 38a rides back under it, while in the structure asshown in Figs. 3 to 6, inclusive, the proximity of the ratchet wheel 29 to the fulcrum point 17 required a considerably higher lift of the rack bar 39 at the end adjacent the depending extension 40 before the parts could be restored to their initial positions.

It is understood that suitable modifications may be made in the structure as disclosed, provided such modifications come within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. Having now therefore fully illustrated and described my in vention, what I claim to be new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is: V

1. A lighter comprising slidably associated inner and outer casings, said inner casing having a fuel chamber, a wick,' and a wick ignition mechanism; said outer casing including a normally closed cover for exposing the wick when said cover is opened, means operative upon relatively moving said casings to actuate the ignition mechanism, said inner casing having a flange provided with a notch defined in part by a shoulder portion at one side and by a tooth portion at the other side, and said cover having a lug normally projecting into the said notch for alternate engagement by said shoulder and tooth portions to open and close the cover when the casings are relatively reciprocated.

2. A lighter comprising slidably associated inner and outer casings, said inner casing having a fuel chamber, a wick, and a wick ignition mechanism; said outer casing including a normally closed cover for exposing the wick when said cover is opened, means operative upon relatively moving said casings to actuate the ignition mechanism, said inner casing having a flange provided with a notch defined in part by a shoulder portion at one side and by a. tooth portion at the otherside, and said cover having a lugnormally projecting into the said notch for alternate engagement by said shoulder and tooth portions ner and outer casings, said inner casing having.

a fuel chamber, a wick, and a wick ignition mechanism; said outer casing including a normally closed cover for exposing the wick when said cover is opened, means operative upon relatively moving said casings to actuate the ignition mechanism, said inner casing having a flange provided a .with a notch defined in part by a shoulder portion at one side and by a tooth portion at the other side, and said cover having a lug normally projecting into the saidnotch for alternate engagement by said shoulder and tooth portions to open and close the cover when the casings are relatively reciprocated, said shoulder portion and lug having slidably associated surfaces adapted to lock the cover in its open position during predetermined movements of the casings with respectto each other, and said tooth portion. being operative to engage the cover lug, when the lighter is out of active use, to yieldably maintain the cover closed. 1

MAURICE L. NOVACK. 

